Artificial pet grass

ABSTRACT

Artificial pet grass for use by pet owners and pet caregivers to provide a pet with an area of artificial grass. The artificial pet grass includes a pad member having a first predetermined shape and first predetermined thickness and manufactured from a first predetermined material and at least one of tufts, strands and patches of artificial grass protruding upwards from and attached to an upper surface of such pad member. The at least one of tufts, strands and patches of artificial grass being a first predetermined length and a first predetermined width and a second predetermined thickness and manufactured from a second predetermined material.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/882,346 filed Dec. 28, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to artificial grass and, moreparticularly, this invention relates to artificial grass for pets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior to the conception and development of the present invention,artificial grass as is generally well known in the prior art, has beenused for golf playing surfaces and sports fields. Specifically ofinterest to the present invention are the following: Martino, U.S. Pat.No. 4,902,541 discloses a artificial athletic turf of a simulated grasssurface provided by tufting strips into a backing fabric and holding thetufts in place by a precoat of polyurethane; a reinforcing sheet isembedded within the precoat to provide tear resistance. A hole can becut into the mat, and the hole reinforced with a sleeve, to receive atee for use as a golf mat.

Florian, U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,396 discloses a golf practice mat whichincludes a relatively thick base pad formed of a resilient elastomericmaterial, e.g. foam rubber, and an artificial grass carpet slidablypositioned on the base pad.

Martino, U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,540, discloses artificial athletic turfwhich has a simulated grass surface provided by tufting strips into abacking fabric; the tufts are held in place by a precoat ofpolyurethane, and a reinforcing sheet is embedded within the precoat toprovide tear resistance. The turf is cut along lines parallel andperpendicular to the tufting lines to provide tiles, and the tiles areassembled to form the desired turf.

Tomarin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,942, discloses a playing field surface foractive running and body contact type sports, such as football and thelike, formed of a stabilized, flat base surface covered by an underpad,over which is laid a synthetic pile fiber carpet. A covering ofsand-like granules is applied upon the carpet to substantially fill thespaces between the fibers. The underpad is made of reclaimed rubber,sliver-like small particles which are bonded together into a thick,water pervious mat and provides support for lateral foot movements andresiliently absorbs and disperses the forces of foot and body impacts.

Speck, U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0049069 discloses a subsurface golf practicemat having a plurality of resilient substrate emulating natural earthsoil which has a frame and can be attached to a contained and recessedbelow the earth surface to maintain a parallel plane with the naturalgrass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides artificial pet grass for use by petowners and pet caregivers to provide a pet with an area of artificialgrass. This artificial pet grass comprises a pad member having a firstpredetermined shape and first predetermined thickness and manufacturedfrom a first predetermined material. At least one of tufts, strands andpatches of artificial grass protrude upwards from and are attached to anupper surface of such pad member. The at least one of tufts, strands andpatches of artificial grass being a first predetermined length and afirst predetermined width and a second predetermined thickness andmanufactured from a second predetermined material.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a pad of artificial grass for pets to sit on, lay on, or roll onthat doesn't have to be trimmed and mowed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an artificial turffor a user to place in a pet crate in which a pet travels or spendstime.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an artificial turffor users to provide their pets where the user and pets reside or areconfined to an area that has no yard.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a simpletool for house-training pets.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide artificialgrass for apartment dwellers to provide to their pets that do not havean opportunity to enjoy real grass.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a piece ofartificial turf that can sit on decks, on balconies, can be placed indog runs, and in parks for a user's pet to enjoy.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the presentinvention described with some degree of specificity above it should beobvious that additional objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled inthe relevant art from the following more detailed description of theinvention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunctionwith the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the artificial pet grassaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the artificial pet grassaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the artificial pet grassaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the artificial pet grassaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVEEMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the presentinvention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity andunderstanding, identical components which have identical functions havebeen identified with identical reference numerals throughout the severalviews illustrated in the drawing figures.

Reference is now made, more particularly, to FIGS. 1-4. According to afirst embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 isartificial pet grass, generally designated 10, for use by pet owners andpet caregivers to provide a pet with an area of artificial grass.

The artificial pet grass includes pad member 12 of a first predeterminedshape and first predetermined thickness and manufactured from a firstpredetermined material and at least one of tufts, strands and patches ofartificial grass 14 protrude upwards from and are attached to an uppersurface 16 of such pad member 12. The at least one of tufts, strands andpatches of artificial grass 14 are a first predetermined length and afirst predetermined width and a second predetermined thickness and aremanufactured from a second predetermined material.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the firstpredetermined material is plastic.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the secondpredetermined material is plastic.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention the firstpredetermined material is fabric.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the secondpredetermined material is fabric.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention the artificial petgrass 10 includes a base member 18 of a third predetermined shape and athird predetermined thickness and manufactured from a thirdpredetermined material. In this particular embodiment it is preferredthat the base member 18 and such pad member 12 are of substantially thesame size and that the third predetermined material is selected from thegroup consisting of rubber and plastic. In this particular embodiment itis further preferred that the pad member 12 is engageable at a bottomsurface 20 thereof to an upper surface 22 of the base member 18.Furthermore, according to this particular embodiment it is preferredthat such pad member 12 is removably secured to the base member 18 andit is most preferred that such pad member 12 is removably secured to thebase member 18 by a hook and loop type fastening means 24.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, such pad member 12is permanently engaged to the base member 18 by an adhesive means 26.

While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of thepresent invention have been described in sufficient detail above toenable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same itshould be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications canbe envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departingfrom either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. Artificial pet grass for use by pet owners and pet caregivers toprovide a pet with an area of artificial grass, said artificial petgrass comprising: a. a pad member having a first predetermined shape andfirst predetermined thickness and manufactured from a firstpredetermined material; and b. at least one of tufts, strands andpatches of artificial grass protruding upwards from and attached to anupper surface of said pad member, and said at least one of tufts,strands and patches of artificial grass being a first predeterminedlength and a first predetermined width and a second predeterminedthickness and manufactured from a second predetermined material. 2.Artificial pet grass for use by pet owners and pet caregivers to providea pet with an area of artificial grass, said artificial pet grasscomprising: a. a pad member having a first predetermined shape and firstpredetermined thickness and manufactured from a first predeterminedmaterial; b. at least one of tufts, strands and patches of artificialgrass protruding upwards from and attached to an upper surface of saidpad member, and said at least one of tufts, strands and patches ofartificial grass being a first predetermined length and a firstpredetermined width and a second predetermined thickness andmanufactured from a second predetermined material; and c. a base memberhaving a third predetermined shape and a third predetermined thicknessand manufactured from a third predetermined material said pad memberbeing engageable at an bottom surface thereof to an upper surface ofsaid base member.
 3. Artificial pet grass, according to claim 2, whereinsaid base member and said pad member are of substantially the same size.4. Artificial pet grass, according to claim 2, wherein said thirdpredetermined material is selected from the group consisting of rubberand plastic.
 5. Artificial pet grass, according to claim 1, wherein saidfirst predetermined material is plastic.
 6. Artificial pet grassaccording to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined material isfabric.
 7. Artificial pet grass according to claim 1, wherein saidsecond predetermined material is plastic.
 8. Artificial pet grassaccording to claim 1, wherein said second predetermined material isfabric.
 9. Artificial pet grass, according to claim 2, wherein said padmember is permanently engaged to said base member by an adhesive means.10. Artificial pet grass, according to claim 2, wherein said pad memberis removably secured to said base member.
 11. Artificial pet grass,according to claim 2, wherein said base member is removably secured tosaid pad member by a hook and loop type fastening means.